New Arsenal forward Christos Tzolis has made a confident statement ahead of the new Premier League season, insisting that the champions have nothing to prove and that the burden of expectation falls on the teams chasing them.
The Greek international completed a £34 million move to Arsenal from Club Brugge and wasted no time making an impact, scoring on his debut in a 4-1 win over Girona on Saturday. So far, Tzolis remains the only outfield player Arsenal have brought in this summer, even as speculation continues to swirl around potential deals for Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes, with the latter reportedly close to a switch to the Emirates.
Arsenal will have to navigate the opening weeks of the campaign without central defender William Saliba, who is dealing with a back injury, while question marks remain over the fitness of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka after their taxing involvement at the World Cup. Despite those complications, Tzolis was adamant that the squad is fully equipped to retain the title they won last season, their first in 22 years.
"Of course. To defend a title, you don't have to think about it. It's more difficult for the other teams because the pressure is there, not on the team who won the title," Tzolis said.
The 24-year-old also pointed to the intensity he has witnessed in training as evidence that the squad shares a common ambition heading into the new season.
"When I see training, and how hungry every player is for every training drill, that means everybody's ready to compete at the highest level," he said. "And when you're a player at Arsenal, you want to compete for every title that's possible. So, it's not only about the Premier League, it's about all the competitions we are playing for. And I see a clear mindset (from the players) and that everybody is on the same page to win titles here."
Tzolis is no stranger to English football, having spent time on loan at Norwich City during the 2021-22 season, where he made 14 Premier League appearances but failed to find the net, including on his debut against Arsenal. That stint was followed by loan moves to FC Twente and Fortuna Dusseldorf before he joined Club Brugge in 2024, where he flourished, scoring 43 goals in 108 appearances and attracting Arsenal's attention.
Expected to fill the void left by Leandro Trossard, who departed for Besiktas, Tzolis is set to operate primarily from the left flank under Mikel Arteta. Reflecting on the more difficult periods of his career, the forward said those experiences played a crucial role in shaping the player he has become.
"In football it's not always about playing at the highest level," he said. "You can have some setbacks and difficulties. And I only learned a lot of things from this period at Norwich. That's why I wanted to go to Dusseldorf – to get the confidence back because I knew I have the skills and qualities to score goals. Even though it was not the highest level, like playing in the Premier League, it's good to play every game and have the feeling that you can score and create and play well."
He went on to explain how that turning point in Germany paved the way for his breakthrough in Belgium and, ultimately, his return to England.
"Then I went to the next level, which is Club Brugge, and I had two amazing years there because of that, because I made the decision to go to Dusseldorf and regain my confidence," Tzolis said. "So in all, I have had three years in a row where I've been important for those two teams, and I had a big role in an attacking part, and now I feel I am more than ready to be in the Premier League. I'm not the same player I was in Norwich, 100 per cent. I feel that in my body and also in my mindset. Now it's my time to show that I'm capable of playing in the Premier League."
Based on reporting from The Independent (independent-football).